Top-lift,stack-handling truck



A ril 21, 1970 L. HOBSON TOP-LIFT, STACK-HANDLING TRUCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 13, 1968 mvemoa LLOYD L. HOBSON ATTORNEYS a April 21, 1970 L. L. liOBSON 3,507,413

TOP-LIFT, STACKHANDLING TRUCK Filed May 13, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR LLOYD L HOBSON 4M Maw ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,507,413 TOP-LIFT, STACK-HANDLING TRUCK Lloyd L. Hobson, Elnora, Ind., assignor to Basiloid Products Corporation, Elnora, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed May 13, 1968, Ser. No. 728,466 Int. Cl. B62b 1/06 US. Cl. 214-381 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A truck comprising a frame defining a generally upwardly extending guide means, carriage means arranged for reciprocable movement on the guide means, treadle means operatively connected to the carriage means and arranged to move the carriage means from a lower position to an upper position, means for locking the carriage means in its upper position, and wheel means for movably supporting the frame, the wheel means comprising a pair of wheels journalled about a generally horizontal axis at the lower portion of the frame. The frame is preferably pivotal about the horizontal axis between a first position in which the guide means extends generally vertically and a second position in which the guide means is inclined rearwardly. Hook means are carried by the carriage means and arranged so that, when the frame is in its first position and the carriage means is in its lower position, the hook means can extend into hand grips provided on a package, and so that, when the carriage means is moved to its upper position, the hook means will be in lifting engagement with such a package, whereby, when the frame is tilted rearwardly to its second position, such a package will be supported by the hook means for movement by the truck. Preferably, the treadle means comprises a lever operatively connected to the carriage means and the locking means comprises a member pivotally mounted on the frame to be movable into locking engagement with the lever when it is actuated to lift the carriage means to its upper position, said member preferably being biased by gravity toward a position providing such a locking engagement. Further, preferably, pedal means is operatively connected to the member and aranged to pivot it to release the lever.

It is a primary object of my invention to provide an improved truck or dolly of the type which is arranged to lift and transport a stack or stacks of cases without having to tilt the stack to insert a lifting blade thereunder. Such trucks conventionally comprise hooks which are inserted into hand grips provided on the cases so that, when the truck is tilted rearwardly about a horizontal axis, the stack of cases will be lifted from the fioor.

It is another object of my invention to provide such an improved truck wherein the improvement comprises treadle means arranged to lift a carriage on which such hooks are mounted to an upper position in which the hooks are in lifting engagement with the hand grips of such packages and means for locking the carriage in such an upper position. The locking means preferably comprises a member pivotally mounted on the truck to be movable into locking engagement with the treadle means when it is actuated to lift the carriage to its upper position, this member preferably being biased by gravity toward a position providing such a locking engagement.

Other objects and features of my invention will become apparent as this description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of my truck showing, in phantom, the plurality of cases mounted thereon for movement therewith;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken from FIG. 1 generally along the line 2--2;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view showing the manner in which the hooks are inserted into hand grips provided on cases;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 except that the treadle means has been actuated to lift the carriage on which the hooks are mounted;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 3 except that the illustrated hook has been raised into lifting engagement with the hand grip of the case;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken from FIG. 2 generally along the line 6-6;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view showing the truck pivoted about a horizontal axis so that the carriage on which the hooks are mounted is against the side of a stack of cases; and

FIG. 8 is an elevational view showing the truck tilted rearwardly to lift the cases from the floor.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that I have illustrated a truck 10 comprising a frame 12 which is mounted on a pair of front wheels 14 and a pair of casters 16 disposed rearwardly of the front wheels. The frame 12 comprises a pair of spaced apart uprights 18, a platform section 20 on which the uprights 18 are mounted, a first rigid brace 22 connected between each upright 18 and the platform section 20 and a second brace 24 connected between each upright 18 and the platform section. It will be seen that each brace 24 is connected between the rear portion of the platform section 20 and the upper portion of an upright 18 while each brace 22 is connected between the forward portion of the platform section and the lower portion of an upright 18. The frame 12 further comprises transverse members 26, 28, 30, 32 rigidly connected to the uprights 18 and vertically spaced apart as illustrated. Each end of each member '26, 28 is preferably provided with a forwardly extending portion 34 which engages the side of an outermost ease to prevent lateral movement thereof.

I prefer to fabricate the frame 12 by welding or otherwise securely fastening the elements thereof together as illustrated in the drawings. In the illustrative embodiment, the uprights 18, braces 22, 24 and the side members of the platform section 20 are ordinary steel channel members, the transverse members 26, 28, 30 are ordinary steel straps and the transverse member 32 and the rear transverse member 36 of the platform section 20 are ordinary steel angle irons. The member 36 serves as a kick bar as will be discussed hereinafter. I also provide a pair of laterally spaced apart handles 38, 40, each of which is a steel tubular member formed to the proper shape and welded or otherwise securely fastened to the frame 12.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that I have welded an axle member 42 to the platform section 20 to extend transversely across the front portion thereof, the weld at one end of the axle member being indicated at 44, and that I have journalled the wheels 14 on the outer ends of the axle member. The frame 12 is thus pivotally movable about the axis defined by the axle member 42 between a first position in which the uprights 18 are generally vertical as illustrated in FIG. 7 and a second position in which the uprights 18 are inclined rearwardly as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 8. In the first position (FIG. 7) the casters 16 are held above the floor and in the second position (FIGS. 1 and 8) the casters 16 rest on the floor to help support the load on the frame 12 as well as to define the rearwardmost position of the uprights 18.

The uprights 18 define a guide on which a carriage, indicated generally by the reference numeral 46 in FIG. l, is mounted for longitudinal reciprocable movement, the carriage comprising transverse members 48, 50 and a longitudinal member 52 slidably disposed in the channel section of each upright 18. Only one of the longitudinal members 52 is shown in the drawings. The members 48, 50, 52 are welded or otherwise securely fastened together to move as a unit along the uprights 18. In the illustrative embodiment, upper and lower retainer brackets 54, 56 are welded or otherwise securely fastened across the channel section of each upright to retain the longitudinal members 52 in the uprights. Of course, the transverse member 30 also serves this purpose.

Further, in the illustrative embodiment, I have provided three spaced apart hooks 58 rigidly secured to each transverse member 48, 50. Each hook 58 is formed to have a forwardly extending portion 60 and an upturned portion 62 as clearly seen in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5. These hooks 58 are proportional and designed to enter an opening provided as a hand grip in a case and to engage the upper perimeter of the opening to lift the case as will be more fully described hereinafter.

I prefer to lift the carriage 48 from its lower position to its upper position with a treadle means such as that indicated generally by the reference numeral 64 in the drawings. The treadle means 64 comprises a rocker shaft 66 extending transversely across the platform section 20 just above the axle member 42 as seen clearly in FIGS. 2 and 4, the rocker shaft being journal mounted at each of its ends. A lever 68, 70 is welded or otherwise securely fastened to each end portion of the rocker shaft 66, each lever having a forwardly extending portion 72 and a rearwardly extending portion 74 as indicated in FIGS. 2 and 4. The forward portion 72 of each lever 78 is connected by rigid link means 76 to the carriage 46. In FIGS. 2 and 4, it will be seen that the forward portion 72 of the lever 68 is pivotally connected to the lower end of the link means 76 by means such as the illustrated fastener 78 and that the upper end of the link means is pivotally connected to a bracket 80 by means such as the illustrated fastener 82, the bracket 80 being welded or otherwise securely fastened to the transverse member 50. The other lever 70 is similarly connected to the transverse member 50. I have connected a second kick bar or foot piece 84 between the rear portions of the levers 68, 70 so that a person may conveniently push down on the bar to lift the carriage 46.

Means must be provided for holding the carriage 46 in its upper position. Thus, in the illustrative embodiment, I have provided locking means, indicated generally by the reference numeral 86, for engaging the rearwardly extending portion 74 of each lever 68, 70 and holding the levers in a position which is effective to hold the carriage 46 in its upper position. The locking means 86 comprises a rocker shaft 88 which extends transversely across the frame 12 and which is journal mounted at its ends on the braces 22, as indicated at 90, a locking member 92 ar ranged to engage each rearwardly extending portion 74 and a pedal 94 adjacent each locking member 92, the locking members and pedals being welded or otherwise securely fastened to the rocker shaft 88. I have found that it is convenient merely to journal the rocker shaft 88 for free rocking movement and to make the locking members 92 sufficiently heavy to urge the shaft about its axis in the direction of the arrow 96 in FIG. 2. In other words, in the illustrative embodiment, the locking members 92 are biased by gravity to move in the direction of the arrow 98.

The operation of the locking members 92 is clearly illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4. Referring to these figures,

it will be seen that the free end portion 96 of the illustrated locking member 92 rests on an upwardly facing, generally flat surface of the rearwardly extending portion 74 of the lever 68. Thus, when the lever 68 is pivoted from its position illustrated in FIG. 2 to its position illustrated in FIG. 4, the member 92 pivots from its position illustrated in FIG. 2 to its position illustrated in FIG. 4, this last-mentioned position producing a locking engage ment between the member 92 and the lever 68 to hold the lever in a position which will hold the carriage 46 in its upper position. Specifically, when the member 92 is in an angular relationship with the lever 68 such that the greatest portion of the force applied to the member by the lever is directed longitudinally along the member and through the axis of the shaft 88, the free end of the mem her will frictionally engage the lever to prevent its movement in a direction which will permit the carriage 46 to move downwardly.

The lever 68 is released from its position illustrated in FIG. 4 by kicking or pushing the pedal 94 in the direction of the arrow 98' to pivot the member 92 in the direction indicated by the arrow 100 (FIG. 4). It will be understood that the members 92 are of the same length and parallel and that the levers 68, 70 are parallel. Thus, the above description of the relationship between the member 92 and the lever 68 will suffice as a description of the relationship of the other member 92 and the lever 70.

In FIGS. 2 and 4, I show a stop 102 carried on the lever 68 and arranged to limit the movement of the mem ber 92 in the direction of the arrow 98 (FIG. 2). It will be seen that, when the member 92 is abutting the stop 102, the member will be substantially perpendicular to the lever and the generally flat, transverse end face 104 of the member will be substantially parallel to the upwardly facing surface on which the free end portion 96 rests. It will be understood, however, that the member 92 does not have to be against the stop 102 or substantially perpendicular to the lever 68 in order to lock the lever against movement which will permit the carriage 46 to return to its lower position.

My illustrative truck 10 is ideally suited for lifting and carrying a three-column stack of cases, such as milk cases, which are provided with hand-grip openings into which the hooks 58 can be inserted. Thus, I have illustrated the manner in which the truck 10 can be used to lift and carry such a stack of cases. In FIGS. 3 and 5, I show a case 106 having such a hand-grip opening 108 therein with a hook 58 inserted into the opening. The illustration of FIG. 3 represents the lower position of the carriage 46 and the illustration of FIG. 5 represents the upper position of the carriage. Thus, when the carriage 46 is in its lower position, the hook 58 can be inserted into the opening 108 and, then, when the carriage is raised to its upper position, the hook 58 is in lifting engagement with the upper perimeter of the opening 108.

When a hook 58 is in lifting engagement with a case 106 and the frame 12 is pivoted from its FIG. 7 position to its FIG. 8 position, the case will be lifted from a generally horizontal position to a tilted position. In the same manner, an entire stack of cases can be lifted and carried. Thus, referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the manner in which a three-column stack can be lifted and carried will be discussed. Specifically, when the frame 12 is in a position such that the uprights 18 are vertical and the carriage 46 is in its lower position, the hooks 58 mounted on the carriage can extend into openings, such as the openings 108 illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5, in the lowest case of each column and in one of the intermediate cases of each column. Then, the treadle means 64 is operated to raise the hooks 58 into lifting engagement with their respective cases. At that point, when the frame 12 is tilted in the direction of the arrow 110 (FIG. 7), the stack of cases 106 is lifted to its position illustrated in FIG. 8. The frame 12 is proportioned and arranged so that, when it is in the position of FIG. 8, the entire weight of the stack of cases is carried by the wheels 14 and the casters 16 so that it is only necessary for a person to push or pull the truck to a new location. When the cases 106 have been moved to the proper location, the frame 12 can then be pivoted in the direction of the arrow 112 (FIG. 8) until the cases are resting on the floor. After the cases are again resting on the floor, the hooks 58 can be disengaged by kicking one of the pedals 94 to release the levers 68, 70, after which, the truck 10 can be pulled away from the stack of cases.

It will be understood that the cases 106 are not lifted by the movement of the carriage 46 by the treadle means 64 as described previously, such movements serving only to raise the hooks 58 into lifting engagement with the hand-grip openings in the cases.

A person may move the frame 12, with its load of cases 106, from its FIG. 7 position to its FIG. 8 position by pressing downwardly on the handles 38, 40 and the kick bar 36. The frame is moved from its FIG. 8 position to its FIG. 7 position by lifting the handles 38, 40.

What is claimed is:

1. A truck comprising a frame defining a generally upwardly extending guide means, carriage means arranged for reciprocable movement on said guide means, treadle means operatively connected to said carriage means and arranged to move said carriage means from a lower position to an upper position, means for locking said carriage means in said upper position, wheel means for movably supporting said frame, said wheel means comprising a pair of wheels journalled about a generally horizontal axis at the lower portion of said frame, said frame being pivotal about said axis between a first position in which said guide means extends generally vertically and a second position in which said guide means is inclined rearwardly, and hook means carried by said carriage means and arranged so that, when said frame is in said first position and said carriage means is in said lower position, said hook means can extend into a hand grip provided on a package, and so that, when said carriage means is then moved to and locked in said upper position, said hook means will be in lifting engagement with such a package, whereby, when said frame is tilted rearwardly to said second position, such a package will be supported by said hook means for movement by said truck.

2. A truck as in claim :1 wherein said treadle means comprises a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends to have a rearwardly extending portion and a forwardly extending portion, and link means for connecting said forwardly extending portion to said carriage means, and wherein said locking means comprises a member pivotally mounted on said frame to be movable into locking engagement with said rearwardly extending portion when the latter is depressed.

3. A truck as in claim 2 wherein said member is disposed above said rearwardly extending portion, said member having a free end portion resting on said rearwardly extending portion, the length of said member being such that, when said rearwardly extending portion is moved downwardly, said free end portion moves to a position to provide such a locking engagement.

4. A truck as in claim 3 wherein said free end portion has a generally flat transverse end face and said rearwardly extending portion has a generally fiat upper surface whereby, when said free end portion is in such locking engagement, said flat surfaces are abutting. N

5. A truck as in claim 4 including a stop against which said free end portion abuts when it is in suchlocking engagement, said stop being carried by said rearwardly extending portion.

6. A truck as in claim 3 wherein said free end portion is biased toward such locking engagement by gravlly- 7. A truck as in claim 6 including pedal means operatively connected to said member and arranged to move said free end portion to release said rearwardly extendmg portion.

8. A truck as in claim 1 wherein said treadle means comprises a lever operatively connected to said carriage means and wherein said locking means comprises a member pivotally mounted on said frame to be movable into locking engagement with said lever when it is actuated to lift said carriage means to said upper position, said member being biased by gravity toward a position providing such a locking engagement.

9. A truck as in claim 8 wherein said member is disposed above said lever to have a free end portion thereof resting on said lever, the length of said member being such that,- when said lever is pivoted downwardly, said free end portion moves to said position providing such locking engagement.

10. A truck as in claim 9 including stop means for engaging said free end portion and defining said position, said free end portion being substantially perpendicular to said lever in said position.

11. A truck as in claim 10 wherein said stop means is carried on said lever, and pedal means operatively connected to said member and arranged to pivot said free end portion away from said stop means to release saidlever.

12. A truck comprising a frame defining a genera ly upwardly extending guide means, carriage means arranged for reciprocable movement on said guide means between a lower position and an upper position, treadle means operatively connected to said carriage means and arranged to move said carriage means from its said lower position to its said upper position, means supporting said frame for pivotal movement about a generally horizontal axis, hook means carried by said carriage means and arranged so that, when said hook means is extended into a hand grip provided on a package and said carriage means is then moved to saidupper position, said hook means will be in lifting engagement with such a package, whereby, when said frame is tilted about said axis, such a package will be supported by said hook means for movement by said truck, locking means comprising a member pivotally mounted on said frame to be movable into locking engagement with said treadle means when it is actuated to lift said carriage means to said upper position, thereby to hold said carriage means in said upper position, and means for pivoting said member to release said treadle means.

13. The truck of claim 12 in which said member is disposed above said treadle means to have a free end portion thereof resting on said treadle means, the length of said member being such that, when. said treadle means is actuated, said member moves to a position providing such locking engagement, and said member being biased by gravity toward such a position.

14. A truck comprising a frame providing a generally upright guideway, carriage means reciprocably guided in ,said guideway, treadle means mounted for rocking movement about a horizontal axis on said frame and including a foot piece, means operatively connecting said treadle means to lift said carriage means upon depression of said foot piece, and means automatically effective, upon such depression of said foot piece, to block said foot piece in depressed position.

15. The truck of claim 14 in which said treadle means comprises a lever of the first class, said foot piece being carried on one arm of said lever and said connecting means cooperating with the other arm of said lever, said means to block said foot piece comprising an element mounted to rock about a horizontal axis above the fulcrum of said lever and gravity biased toward engagement with the upper surface of said one lever arm.

16. The truck of claim 15 including a pedal operat y connected to said element and accessible for foot manipulation to move said element, against its bias, out of engagement with said lever arm.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Takitani 21438 1 8 2,653,033 9/1953 Chenette et :11. 2,922,658 1/1960 Manahan 280-4729 FOREIGN PATENTS 318,376 9/ 1929 Great Britain. 339,059 7/ 1959 Switzerland.

LEO FRIAGLIA, Primary Examiner J. A. PEKAR, Assistant Examiner 

